Device for holding cut photographic films for developing and fixing



y 4, 1938. J. c. RIEGER' 4 2,118,738

DEVICE FOR HOLDING CUT PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS FOR DEVELOPING AND FIXINGFiled June 4, 1937 I I" I W I II I 1 l I I I 3 I; I I I I I I I 1% I I II I I I Z J INVENTOR.

Patented May 24, 1938 2,118,738

DEVICE FOR HOLDING CUT PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS FOR DEVELOPING AND FIXING JohnO. Rieger, Louisville, Ky.

Application June 4, 1937, Serial No. 146,331

1 Claim. (Cl. 95100) My invention relates particularly to racks ordesirable purpose of affording a photographer devices for holdingindividual cut photographic a safe and efiicient holder for developingand films in the process of developing and fixing. fixing his cutphotographic films without the And some of the objects of my inventionare, danger of fogging them with metallic contacts first, to provide arack for holding out photosuch as frequently happens in the use ofmetallic graphic films, of such a character as can be made film-holders,but, also, for the purpose of prointegral by a moulding process; second,to devise viding an operator with a film-holder, so smooth a holdingrack for developing and fixing portrait in its structure that when movedit will not catch films, so smooth in all parts that, when insertedagainst nor entangle other contiguous or adjainto, or removed from, thebath-tank it will not cent, similar film-holders that may be hanging l0catch into, nor disturb other film-racks that may, beside it. And withthese purposes and special at the same time, be hanging in thebath-tank; objects in view, I will now describe my invention and third;to design and develop a device for at length, pointing out specificallythe new and H holding out photographic films for developing usefulfeatures and explaining the construction and fixing, that will have nometallic parts to and purposes of the individual parts and the fog thefilm, installed therein and will have all combinations thereof, asillustrated in the drawsurfaces in the holding rack rounded to preventing hereinabove described, in which similar adhesion wherever theinstalled film would come characters refer to similar parts throughoutthe in contact with the holder. several views.

With the above and other objects in view, In the design and constructionof my new 20 which will appear in the process of the descripdevice forholding out photographic films for tion, I will explain that myinvention, the new developing and fixing, I have developed a and usefuldevice for holding out photographic strong, rectangular,symmetrically-formed filmfilms for developing and fixing, illustrated inthe holder, having a horizontal bottom-portion 2 and accompanyingdrawing which forms a part of extending upward from the ends thereof twothis specification, is a practical device embodyparallel side-portions,I, I, integral with the boting the said novel means and other new andtom-portion; the side-portions, I, I, being inteuseful details ofconstruction, arrangement and grally connected across their upper endsby combination of parts, all of which together with means of ahanger-beam 4 set parallel with said their functions, will be describedin detail with bottom-portion of said holder. A short distance 30reference to said drawing and will be definitely below the hanger-beam 4and parallel therewith, pointed out in the claim that follows this de- Ihave designed two parallel throatbeams, 3, 3, scription, so that anyperson skilled in the art, integrally connecting said side-portions andmay understand how to construct and use this forming between said beams,the uniform, open 5 device. throat 3a In said drawing, Fig. I is anelevational view Now, between the ends of the bottom-portion of the sideof the device for holding out photo- 2 I have made the open channel 2a,provided graphic films for developing and fixing. with convexly-roundedsides and a plurality of Fig. II is a plan view of the underside of thedrain-holes, 2b, 2b, leading vertically down from bottom part of saiddevice, showing the drainthe bottom of said channel and adapted to drain40 holes therein. out any liquid that may tend to lodge in said Fig. IIIis a vertical projection, in detail, of the channel, as shown in Figs.I, II, and IV. And top of an enlarged fragment of parts of said dealongthe entire length of the side-portions, I, I, vice including a part ofthe throat. I have made similar channels, la, la, provided Fig. IV is across-sectional view of the chanwith similar rounded sides withdimensions simi- 45 neled sides and bottom of said device for holdinglar to the dimensions of the channel 2a, and cut portrait films, cut inthe plane B B. adapted to join the channel 2a at the lower Fig. V is anelevational view, in detail, of a corners of said film-holder, so that Ihave, along fragment of the inside of an upper portion of the inside ofboth side-portions, I, I, and the botthe right channeled side of saiddevice, includtom-portion 2, a continuous channel of like di- 50 ing across-section of the horizontal hangermensions and character, with theopen throat 3a beam and a cross-sectional view of the two bevat eitherend thereof merging directly into said eled throat-beams, cut in theplane A A. channel. And to prevent undue side-movement This inventionhas been designed and deof my film-holder while pendent on thesuspenveloped in its various details, not only for the sion rods of thebath tank, or elsewhere, I have 55 provided a notch 4a in eachend-portion of the hanger-beam 4, as shown in Figs. I and III.

In my business, as photographer, I have been using various types ofholders for out photographic films for developing and fixing; and I havefound them heretofore made of metal and provided with metallicspring-clips or rotating parts, adapted to clasp and hold the film inplace after it has been set into its holder. And I have found someobjections to film-holders of this character, as follows:These accessoryspringclips and rotary clasps are tedious to attach to the films or todetach therefrom and, further, these accessory parts are likely tobecome entangled with other holders that may be hanging with them,provided with similar parts, to the annoyance of the operator who, ofcourse, has to develop his films in an absolutely dark room. Moreover,those parts of the film that rest against metallic contacts in thedevelopment thereof become more or less foggy to the detriment of theprints therefrom.

But in the use of my new film-holder, we meet with no metallic parts atall; and we have no accessory clips nor rotary parts to adjust. Weselect the size of my new film-holder adapted for the size of our filmto be developed and fixed; and merely push the film into the top of thetwo channels, I a, Ia, and slide it down through the open throat 3a anddown along the channels, Ia, Ia, between the two side-portions, I, I,until it rests in the bottom of the channel 2a of the bottom-portion 2.We then lift the film-holder by the hanger-beam 4 and place it onsuspension rods. The film is now securely held in place in thefilm-holder by means of the channels, la, la, in the side-portions, I,I, the bottomportion 2 and the throat-beams, 3, 3, until it is ready forremoval from the bath-tank, which is properly done in lifting the holderup by the hanger-beam, allowing the adhering liquid to flow down intothe channel Zn, from which it drains out through the waste-holes, 2b,2b, in the bottom-portion 2 of the film-holder.

But, it should be understood that the specific detail of the portions ofmy new film-holder which I have herein illustrated and described, shouldnot be considered as limitations in my practical device for holding outphotographic films for developing and fixing, and that, while keepingwithin the scope of my invention and claim, any desired modification ofthese details may be made to facilitate production or economize infabrication of the portions thereof, provided we keep within the spiritof said invention.

Now, having thus described the various features of my invention, thedetail of construction, arrangement and combination of its parts, aswell as its functions and purposes; those features and combinations ofmy invention that I consider new in the structure and useful in thenature of efiiciency, convenience and economy in the general practice ofphotography, and on which I desire Letters Patent granted to me, I haveherein below set forth specifically in the following claim:-

In a device of a non-metallic, plastic material, for holding outphotographic films for developing and fixing,a strong, rectangular,symmetrically-formed film-holder; a horizontally disposed bottom-membertherein, smooth all along both outer sides thereof and provided withample facilities for the efiicient drainage of any fluids therefrom; anintegral side-member of similar shape smooth on both sides, extendingupward a predetermined distance at right angles from each end of saidbottom-member in the same plane therewith; a hanger-beam smooth on bothsides arranged parallel with said bottom-member and integrally connectedflush with the backsides of said side-members at the upper ends thereof;a continuous unbroken channel along the insides of said bottom-memberand said side-members, open along the inside thereof; full, smoothconveXly-rounded inner sides along the entire length of said channel;convexly-rounded bevels along the upper inside edge of said hanger-beamand the inner edges of the tops of said channels, for the easy entranceof a photographic film therein; a short distance below said hanger-beamand parallel therewith, a pair of smooth, parallel throat-beamsextending across from one side-member to the other andintegrally-connected therewith, flush with outsides thereof, to preventsnagging adjacent films and film-holders in a developing tank; and full,smooth conveXly-rounded bevels along the insides of both saidthroat-beams, merging in convexly-rounded bevels into said channel insaid side-members; as described.

JOHN C. RIEGER.

